113th Boston Marathon

Summary - The toughest running day I have ever experienced. The bottom line is the only reason I was able to finish the race is because it would have hurt more to quit than to keep going through the pain. Let the bitching and moaning begin,

Pre-race - First of all I knew it was going to be one of the toughest races because the training wasn’t where I need it to be. There were way too many weeks of running three days and not enough of those quality mid-week runs of six plus miles. Also the night before the race I had a horrible night of sleep and got a sore throat. I woke up every forty-five minutes or so. Each time I woke up I started to worry more about being tired for the race. The one good thing was that I wasn’t too tired when it was time to get up but the bad news was my lower back, head, and stomach did not feel well. I remember looking in the mirror while brushing my teeth thinking this is going to be one tough day. On the way to Manny’s I stopped and got some diet Pepsi and some CVS pain reliever to try to diminish some of the morning misery.
The one thing that went off without a hitch was the trip to Hopkinton. Thanks to Manny and his girlfriend I got to the starting line and my car was going to be at L-Street. Having my car in Boston was going to be great because I know I would not want to hang out too long after the race. We got to the start line with about an hour to spare so there was plenty of time to relax. Manny was in the first wave so I said by to him and then headed to the back of the pack. Once I got to the back I head enough time to readjust my socks and shoes. I also tried calling Debb one last time but I had to leave her a message.

The Race – I finally reached the start line at 10:45. At this point I felt okay. I was running roughly 8:45s. It was pretty crowded but that wasn’t an issue. As usual the feeling was awesome to be running the race. The crowds were all wound up. I really like the bar that is on the left hand side right over the Ashland line. It’s always funny to see all these people half in the bag so early in the day cheering all these runners on. Another thing that always cracks me up is how every one loves to say, “You’re looking good, almost there”, well, the first time I heard this was around the four mile mark, which may be a record. I started to feel the impact of the race around the 10k mark. I knew this is bad because it’s way too early to feel like this. In past years I usually made it to 10 miles before I started to get a bit tight. Even though I wasn’t feeling great I was still running at a 9 minute pace. At the 12 mile water station I decided to make a pit stop because at this point my stomach started to really feel lousy. I had to wait in line for about five minutes but it was worth it because I felt better afterwards. After that just to make sure I got enough fluids I started to walk just a bit through the water stations. I made it to the turn at the fire station before the wheels came off. I made it up the first hill and then it was walk, run, walk, walk, run, walk, walk, lie down, walk, walk, run all the way to the finish. Those last 8 miles were the toughest thing I have ever done physically. My back and my stomach were the biggest issues. I felt like I was going to puke the whole time and it took a lot not to it let go. I held back on puking because I was afraid some over anxious med tent person would pull me off the course. I stopped taking on gels after 15 miles because of my stomach issues. As made my way slowly up the Newton hills my lower back really started to hurt. I stopped a few times to try to stretch it but nothing helped. Once I made it into Kenmore Square I knew I would finish the race. At this point I started walking with a guy from Vancouver named Dave. It was his first Boston (and his last) and I think he felt worse than I did if possible. At his point not only did I have my back and stomach pain killing me but the typical marathon issues were really starting to hurt. Walking with Dave really helped as it took my mind off the pain. When I we took the turn at Hereford I asked Dave if he had anything left he said, not now I’m going to run Boylston so I shook his hand and said good luck and started to run. I ran 3/4’s of the way up the street and then walked around the corner to just gather myself for the grand finale. I then started to run and made it all the way to the finish. Then end

Post race –
I was miserable and was still dropping plenty of F-bombs in the van on my way to L-Street. The good thing was I wasn’t alone. There was a good group of miserable marathon guys all feeling the same way. By the time I got back to L Street I was feeling a little better but still not great. I got some chicken soup and took a shower. I hung out for about an hour and then headed for home. On the way home I started thinking how bad the race went and whether I wanted to run Boston ever again. I knew I would do other marathons but I really wasn’t sure about this one. As usual by the next morning I was started to think what I will do differently next time. Looking back there are numerous reasons why I did so poorly but I think most of all it was my training. I think the same training I did in my 20s is not going to fly any more. So here is my new plan, I will start 6 weeks earlier and will start with at least a healthy 25 mile per week base. I will also make hill training a focus and will do it consistently throughout.


The details:
1 – 8:53 (pit stop)
2 – 8:24
3 – 8:45
4 – 8:35
5 – 8:54
6 – 8:54
7 – 8:45
8 – 9:09
9 – 9:16
10 – 9:00
11 – 9:10
12 – 14:22 (pit stop)
13 – 9:09
14 – 9:25
15 – 9:35
16 – 9:57
17 – 10:49
18 – 13:16
19 – 10:32
20 – 12:38
21 – 15:41
22 – 15:08
23 – 14:41
24 – 14:48
25 – 19:16
26.2 – 16:54

Total - 4:54:10
Pace - 11:13

Week 15

The goal - run for an hour and feel good. Well, mission accomplished. Sunday afternoon I ran an extended version of my usual loop. I felt really good the whole time. My issues all seem to be getting better at the right time. My leg is feeling great, the foot, hips, and toe blisters are all getting better. As always the goal is to get to the starting line healthy.

The Details: 8.1 miles – 1:08:45 – around 8:30 per mile

On the iPod – I listened to a great interview with Danish triathlete Torbjorn Sindballe. What made it interesting was how he has overcome his over heating issues. For a triathlete he is big about 6’3”/ 170+ lbs so the heat really gets to him. What he does is wear a long sleeve white shirt and latex gloves filled with ice. The research shows the hands act as a thermometer for the body’s core temperature. As for tunes there really wasn’t any real need for motivation so I don’t remember any of the tunes.

Next week: Go time!

Race Goal – 4:15

Week 14

The plan – 13+ Two loops and with a quick run around the block to bring the total mileage over 13. I know the extra distance is trivial but it makes me feel better to run 13 rather than 12.6775675642. This week I didn’t take the usual day before off before so I felt tightness and my hips. On the first loop I stretched my left hip at the Gatorade stop and that helped a little. I felt like I was pushing it on the first loop but my time was slower than in previous weeks. I’m not sure if it was because of all the stiffness or because of the wind. My guess probably a combo of both, anyway, it’s no big deal because at this point I’m not running to get into shape. I decided towards the end of the first loop I would not stop at home for some fuel.
The second loop went pretty much as the first. I felt like I was pushing it but the speed was not there. Oh well, no biggie. I finished up by doing a small loop around the block.

On the iPod – I listened to a great interview of Ryan Hall talking about his marathon goals and about running Boston this year. As far as music, the only tunes that stick out were “Cure of Pain” by Morphine and the Dropkick’s “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”. I think those two songs are perfect for the marathon. After listening to those songs I started trying to associate every song to running Boston.

The details:
Loop 1 – 57:11
Loop 2 – 58:41
Mini loop – 4:37

Total – 2:00:30

Next week: 1 hour of nice easy running

Week 13

The plan this week was to do a little more than 20 miles. It was the same route as last week but on the last loop I would extend it a bit. Going into the run the only concern I had was I still had some pain from last weeks blisters on both my little toes but other than that I felt good. The run started off okay I took it easy and eased into the run. As usual I started to feel okay on the flat part which is around mile 2. I stopped for water at the school and then had some Gatorade in a gel at around mile 5. I finished the first loop just in time to take a sit down break in the water closet (One of the big benefits of the loop course). I also drank some water and said hi to Toby. As expected I started to feel it on the second loop but I was still okay. The blister on my right little toe started to let me know it was there but not a big deal. I made it home for another drink and it a quick kiss for Toby and out the door I went. The third and final loop went surprisingly well. I was feeling the affects of the mileage, especially on the up hills, but overall I was pleased how I ended up.

Details:
Loop 1 – 56:54
Loop 2 – 57:01
Loop 3 – 1:13:26
Total – 3:07:22
Pace – 9:11

On the iPod: I listened to four interviews this week
1st – USAT Triathlon Team
2nd – Bob Roll
3rd – Chris Lieto
4th – Taylor Phinney
The only memorable tune was Freakin’ & Peakin’ by Luna. It came on for the last mile and what a great tune.


Next Week: 12+ miles

Week 12

I originally planned on running with my buddy Jeff but his knees have been killing him so he was smart and decided not to push it. The plan was to run 19 miles by doing 3 loops of roughly 6.4 miles. I did the loop thing the week before and I seemed to like being able to stop at home for fuel and a bathroom break. The first loop I did in 56:26 which was about 2 minutes faster than the previous week so I was encouraged. The second loop I did in 57:25 so I only slowed up a little but that could because I took a Gatorade break that I didn’t take on the first loop. For the record I stopped my watch during my stops at home. At this point I felt pretty good, there was one point at the beginning of the second loop I didn’t feel so well but it didn’t last too long. As I was doing my last loop I said to myself I wanted to get under an hour. The fact that I was setting goals on the fly means I was feeling okay because if I was feeling like crap I wouldn’t care as long as I finished. I finished up a with 59:52; mission accomplished. This was the first run that I felt good about the run.

Details
Loop 1 – 56:26
Loop 2 – 57:25
Loop 3 - 59:52
Total 2:53:43
Pace 9:05

On the IPod: I listened to 2 interviews; the first was Josh Cox, who set the American record in 50K at the Rock and Roll Marathon. The second one was Mark Allen and his Sharman talking about a book they wrote. It was interesting and made me think if I could get into some deep thought stuff like these guys. My conclusion is, no way. The book might be an interesting read maybe some day I’ll pick it up. As for tunes I don’t remember too many but I do remember getting a lift from “Hold You Head Up” by Argent and finishing up with Springsteen’s “Out in the Streets”.

Next Week: 20 miles

Week 11

I’m back. After Stu’s 30K I decided to take a week off and allow my left calf to heal. I didn’t run until Monday when I was in Florida. For the week I ran Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and then rested up for a long run on Sunday. My approach going into Sunday’s run was to do three loops which would allow me to shut it down if my leg flared up and for the first time I wore the new compression socks As it’s been on most on my long runs this year I started out feeling a little tired and stiff in my hips. I think the stiffness was due to swimming in the pool all week. I’ll take a little stiffness for a week in the sun of Florida. The first loop was a little over 10k and I finished up that without much of a problem. The second 10k loop (in the opposite direction) went okay. It was a little tough towards the end but overall I felt okay. I stretched a little when I made it home. I also had some water, Gatorade, and a GU. The last loop was going to be a little over 4.5 miles. It started out okay but it quickly got tough. My right ankle was sore and my hips got tight but it wasn’t as bad as in other weeks. My post run was just some Gatorade, ice on my calf and knees, and a hot shower.

The details: 17.5 miles 2:46:49

On the IPod: I listened to WEEI until the last mile. Having been away for a week I needed to catch up on the local sports. For the last mile I went to the IPod and listened to “Whispers” by Luna.

Week 10

off - resting for a week to help the calf to heal

Injury Update

I was thinking this morning, what advice would I give someone that was in my spot? Well, I would say shut it down for a week and try to get the calf healed. One week of training is not going to kill you, it's more important to get to the starting line healthy. So I am going to listen to my own advice and shut it down until next Monday. I will be in Orlando so it will warm and hopefully mostly flat running.

As of today the pain in my leg is much much better so hopefully the extra rest will do the trick. I am still icing at night and doing self massage a few times a day. I also bought a pair of compression socks which I will use on all of my future long runs.

Week 9 - Stu's 30K

I know this is becoming one major bitch session week after week but the training hasn’t been conducive to anything else. This week is one I knew and wanted to be tough as I know Stu’s 30k is a tough course plus running 30k was going to be a challenge in itself. I normally look forward to races like this but going in I was worried about my left calf. It has been hurting for two week now and last week I ran 4 miles on Tuesday and that was it for the week. I haven’t done any formal research on this but I think you need really need to run more than twice a week (even if one of them is a long run) to reach your marathon goals. As race day approached I knew the weather was not going to be ideal but maybe that would keep my mind off of my leg. Enough of the semi whining and on to the race.

I got to the start about a 45 minutes early which was good because I got to hangout with Mikey and meet a couple of GNRCers. The start was a bit cold but it wasn’t an issue at all and neither was the snow since it really wasn’t any more than a flurry. I started running with Mike and Maria and stayed with them for around a half hour but then I fell back a little just so I could run my own race. I was able to see them up ahead for a bit and even one time it looked like I was gaining on them but then nature called and that was the last I would see of them. My leg felt really funny right from the beginning and I was favoring it the whole way. I stayed pretty steady, running with a few people, chatted with some dude named Michael, until around mile 10. This was no big deal because it’s always around mile 10 I start to feel like I have been running for a while. From there things just progressively got worse. I think the course had a lot to do with how badly I was feeling because it was getting a lot hillier over the last half of the course. I remember just thinking to myself just get me to 16 and I will be all set. A few times around 15 mile, not really sure when because the mile makers in this race were horrible; first of all they were hung on trees, poles or anything else that was around so I doubt they were accurate and they didn’t seem to have them every mile instead they mixed in kilometers and half marathon markers all good but I was trying to do mile splits, okay enough of that because that’s not why I was feeling so bad; so where was I, okay around 15 miles I felt some really strange sensations in my calf and I really thought I was going to get my first ever DNF. As I was running I thought well if I do not finish I can say technically I was running as James Daily so really it wasn’t Rick Smith who did not finish, all kidding a side I knew if my leg seized up there would no argument, my day would be done. I continued on just walking through the “frozen” water/Gatorade stops. As my pace slowed to about 10 minute miles when going up hill my goal became not to stop other than at the water stops. Now I kept going and going but people were passing me left and right. The last two hills I didn’t technically walk but I was running so slowly that I could not pass those who were walking. Now with under a mile to go I set the last goal of the day which was to finish under three hours. I know I was going to do that unless my leg finally gave out but it didn’t and I finished in 2:57. Not a total waste, I did finish and I did get less than 10 minute miles.

This was the second time I ran this race and the second time it kicked my ass. I would like to think I could have run at least 5 to 10 minutes faster if my leg wasn’t hurt but whom cares I finished, it’s over.

Results: Place: 238 Time: 2:57:27.83 Pace: 9.31

Next up: The schedule calls for 6 – 8 miles. I think I will do 6 unless by some miracle my calf is back to normal. The main goal is to get out and run at least 3 times this week.

Week 8

Week 8
Yesterday was one of those days I won’t forget for a while. It was a very tough run for me and it wasn’t because I was going too fast. The plan was to do 17 plus miles and for the first time take in some food/gel with regular water. I have had a touch of the flu all week and was hoping it wasn’t going to impact the run. I did take it easy all week. I felt really bad on my Friday run so I was still a little concerned. On Saturday I felt a little better during the run and I felt pretty good when I woke upon Sunday morning so things were looking up. The weather report called for some snow/rain so I made sure I got an early start. Toby and I went out at 7 and put out 4 bottles of water so I could get out before 8 AM.

I set out for my run with a little Aerosmith to loosen up. The weather was good not that cold and the sun was actually out a little. The first few miles of the run are hilly so I know it usually take about 45 minutes to get in a good rhythm. About a mile into the run I had to make a pit stop which is okay because I felt better afterwards. At this point I was listening to an Andy Potts interview which allowed me to zone out for a little bit. . I got to the first water stop and things were not feeling bad but I had yet to find my stride. The next part of the course was mostly down hill and I was feeling okay but I did start to notice my left calf was acting up again (was tight all week). At around 7 miles I made another pit stop and this one was interesting because I used up all my supplies during the first stop. Let’s just say that snow is really cold but served its purpose. I always know how I am feeling during these long runs by how much I am looking forward to the next bottle of water. By now I was counting down the mailbox numbers so I knew I wasn’t feeling good. I finally came to 207 so I took my one and only gel and drank water. I walked for a minute and a half while drinking.

I made it the next stop without many issues or complaints. Shortly after the third water stop which I ate a little Cliff bar, it was too hard to chew so I took a few bites, I started to feel pretty bad. My shoulders were getting fatigued; my calf was really sore and on the verge of cramping up, and most of all my right ankle was killing me. I just kept saying just get me to the last water bottle and I will be all set because that last water bottle was 1 ½ miles from my house. When I got into the old town center I thought it may be a good idea to get of the concrete side walk and run on the grass. Well, that was a mistake, after about ten yards I felt my calf seize up but lucky I adjusted my stride and prevented a full blown cramp. I got back on the street and ran more flat footed to lessen the load on my calves. At this point I am crawling along but I know I’m not far from the water. I had an idea where I put the water but not that good because I never found it. I thought about taking some time to search for it but said screw it. I walked for a bout 30 seconds and continued on. My energy was okay, believe or not, it was just the other things making me miserable. I made it across 125 without the benefit of waiting for traffic but after that it was all down hill to my house. At the 17 mile mark 17 Days by Prince came on and helped me pick up the pace ever so slightly. When I got to my own little neighborhood I was searching for a song just to keep my going and settled for AC DC.
As soon as stopped I knew I was going to be junk the rest of the day. I picked up some snow, threw it in the tub, and settled in for my ice bath. I bagged it after 7 minutes not because it was too cold but I was just miserable and needed to lie down.
Looking back I always remember the first 17 plus run is always a challenge so I guess I’m right on schedule.

On the IPod – Started out with some Aerosmith from Toys in the Attic, No More No More is one my favorite tunes by them. I only had one interview this week, Any Potts not the riveting but he served his purpose. I always look to the music to influence the mood and The Way We Were certainly did that. I have always liked that song because it reminds me of my mother and being a kid. It’s a great reflection song and that’s what I did while listening to it. The only other song besides aforementioned Prince tune that made any impact was by the Moldy Peaches and that was probably when I felt the best during the run.

The details – 17.25 miles – 2:51:27 (includes all the stops) the pathetic but complete pace – 9:56


Next week – Stu’s 30K – goal is to finish feeling okay

Week 7

Week 7
I was dreading this run all weekend and that’s why I put it off until 3 PM on Sunday afternoon. I wasn’t sure how far I was going to run but I know it wasn’t going to be easy for a few reasons. I knew not running long last week wasn’t going to help plus I was tired. I started off easy and just eased into the run. During the run I started to feel better at which was encouraging. At around 90 minutes, my knees started to ache my right one was really giving me some issues and at the water stop (90 min) I did some light stretching (IT band) which helped. There were a few times were it got pretty cold because of the lack of sun and wind. I almost cut the run short to go home and get another shirt. I powered through the loop part of the run and then it came to decision time. The last part of the run there were a few places where I could make the run longer or shorter. Every decision I picked to extend the run and in the end I am glad I did. Overall I felt pretty good except for the knee pain. My energy remained constant and my usual problem areas felt okay. Once again I took a ten minute ice bath. I actually look forward to these now and this week I put a sweatshirt on which made a big difference.
On the IPod – I started out listening to WEEI and then switch to my IPod. Up first was an interview with Johan Bruhneel. It was a really good interview. I particular liked the story about winning a Tour stage in his father’s memory. I then switched over to s few tunes. The memorable one was Tiger Lily off of Luna Live, what a great tune. I then went back to another interview which was a Mark Allen interview from last summer. The bulk of the interview was about his training and race for his last Kona title. I think this was what helped extend my run. I cruised to the end to the Clash’s Police on My Back, which is an awesome running tune.

The details – 16.25 in 2:30:04 a little over 9’s.

Next week’s goal – 17+ under 9’s

Week 6

On Saturday morning I had plans to run 15 miles with Jeff. However around 3 Am I woke up with stomach pains and after lying a wake for a couple of hours whatever was in there started to come out in a couple of different places, if you know what I mean. I was in bed all day Saturday feeling like crap all day long. On Sunday I felt a little better and found good enough to have something to eat but I didn’t push it and try to go running. So the whole weekend was lost and to make matters worse I took Friday off to rest up for a good run on Saturday. Hopefully, this will only be a minor set back and even a good thing to get some rest.
I hope to get two 6+ mile runs in this week which is a little longer than I usually do during the week.

Next week: 15 – 17 depending how I feel. I have a point in the run where if I feel good I will go for around 17

Week 5

The goal this week was to run 10 miles and have it not be that difficult. It's nice to dial it back after pushing it last week. I felt pretty good most of the way once I made a pit stop. My knees started to get a little achy around 8 miles but not that bad. After the run my right ankle was sore and even today (Monday) I can feel it. I plan on running through the ankle stuff although I am a bit concerned. As long as it doesn’t get worse or linger for more than 1 day or two I won’t worry too much. That said, I did push it along 125 for a mile or so so that felt nice. For the second week in a row I took a 10 minute ice bath immediately after the run and today no muscle soreness.

I started out the run with a few new tunes from AC/DC and then I listened to a Dean Karnazes interview. It was about him winning the overall title in some stage races held in four different deserts, pretty extreme stuff. After that it was back to some tunes, Bob Marley, Bob Seger, and Band of Horses were a few of the memorable songs of the day.

The stats: 10.69 miles in around 1:35 which is just under 9 per.

Up next: 15 miles

Week 4

I decided to run on Saturday again because it was going to be a lot colder on Sunday. Starting out I felt a little tight in the hips and my stomach didn’t feel great but I did make without any pit stops which was nice since there isn’t a lot of cover on this route. The plan was to go for about a ½ hour longer than last week so I started out slow. After a couple of miles I found my groove which was a good feeling because I kind of felt bad at the beginning. This was the first week I put out water and I made sure I walked while I drank the water (3 ½ bottles). It became a little windy during the run but it wasn’t so bad since I really wasn’t pushing the pace. Another thing I did for the first times was to do an extra loop around the block right near the house. I did this because it will get me used to pushing it even when I want to stop.
After the run I took my snow shovel scooped up a bunch of snow threw it into the tub and took a 10 minute ice bath. Boy was it friggin’ cold. At one point I had run some warm water over my toes because they were hurting so bad and other areas became quite small. I did this training for Bay State and it really seemed to keep my legs from being sore the next day and it seemed to help this time as well.
I listened to a Chris McCormack interview for the first hour plus which was good to keep my mind focused and for motivation. He is always entertaining to listen to. I love that Aussie no nonsense approach to life. After that I listened to some tunes to keep going
None of the music was specifically picked just happen to pop up on shuffle. I did skip over some tunes but here is what I remember
Saturday Morning by the Eels – seemed appropriate for the occasion
Ramrod – Springsteen - one of my favorite Bruce tunes even if it makes me think of the semi famous bar in Boston (never went to it)
Be Good Johnny – Men at Work – nice 80s tune
Need You Loving Tonight _ Queen - actually listed to it twice because it’s an awesome tune to get your legs moving in the last mile
There were a few others but I can’t remember them

Here’s the facts: 14.5 miles in 2 hours and 10 minutes which I think is right around 9 minute pace, not great but I’ll take it

Next week: plan on dialing it back a bit and will go for around 11.

Week 3

Once again due to weather I ran on Saturday. This week I met Jeff in Burlington and ran with him. We did an out and back, 47 minutes out and 47 back. My guess it was around 11 miles. It was pretty cold


Next week: 14 miles

Week 2

Decided to run on Saturday rather than deal with running in the snow. Since my boy Toby loves to run I thought I would break up the run into two loops. The first loop of 3.5 I would bring Toby and do a second loop of 6 plus solo. The first loop was okay. Due to the snow and ice we made good time for us because Toby couldn’t stop and pee that often. He did manage a few stops. We clocked in just under 35 minutes which is good for bringing him along. The second loop I did solo went well I did my usual 6 plus loop in just under 55 minutes. I felt pretty good and pushed it the last two miles.

Next week: the goal will be around 12.

2009 Boston Marathon Training Week 1

This week was week 1 which is always one of the hardest for me. The actual run is not that bad because I start off doing just 7 or 8 miles but it's the many cold, icy, snowy, wet, and long runs ahead which weighs on you mentally at the beginning. The good thing is by week 3 or 4 I really enjoy those long runs up until it comes time to bang out 17 miles which just becomes a matter of survival.

My running partner Toby:

Week 1 facts:This week I did a little over 7 miles in about 63 minutes